Man held at airport with star tortoises stuffed in hot pack

In another case, a man from Paris was detained after landing here with four 12 carat gold idols of Lord Vinayaga, weighing four kg, which were coated with silver.

Venketesan, a 24-year-old from Chennai, came to the airport late on Saturday to board a flight to Bangkok. After finding his movement to be suspicious, the officials intercepted him at the departure terminal. Whenquestioned they found his replies were evasive. This prompted a thorough check of hisbaggage, said a pressstatement from the office of Commissioner of Customs, Air Intelligence Unit.

When the examined his two checked-in bags, Customs officials found 65 live tortoises that were concealed in two hot boxes that were kept alongside his personal belongings. Later, Wild Life officials confirmed that these were ‘star tortoises’ (Geochelone Elegans), a species of Indian origin. This is a protected species coming under Wild Life Protection Act. Both the passenger and the tortoises were handedover to the Wild Life Department for further action, added the press release.

In the second incident,Rajalingam Mahinthan (30), a French passport holder, was arrested for smuggling in four silver coated idols made of 12 carat gold. Customs officials said that the idols were worth an estimated Rs 65 lakh.

“He is working as a floor supervisor at a fancy shop in Paris. Stating that they were for religious purpose, a friend gave him the idols, asking him to hand them over to a person in Chennai,” the press release added.